Good Work Habits That Will Make You Successful

Ten good work habits that you should adopt to succeed

Our daily routine and working habits shape our daily life, and eventually determine our professional success. The daily habits we develop define whether we will feel stuck in our jobs or gradually build a successful career. In this article, we are going to share good workplace habits that you should adopt to improve your productivity, achieve fulfillment, and reach professional success.

One of the most positive habits for every professional is updating your resume at least twice a year. Proactive people add new skills, projects, and accomplishments to a resume, so that the document is always up-to-date and can be used for job application. If you are not sure how to list your skills or qualifications on a resume effectively, our experts are here to help. At ResumePerk, we create customized resumes for 70+ industies, helping every job-seekers present their best strengths to an employer.

10 good working habits that every professional should develop

If you want to get ahead in your career or are looking to impress your new boss, consider adopting these good work habits:

Learn to accept constructive feedback

Both entry-level and experienced professionals face feedback or even criticism in different situations. The most important thing is accepting this feedback with a positive attitude without getting aggessive or defensive. When someone criticizes your work, in most cases, this is not because they don't like you. Use this feedback as a valuable resource to improve your performance and grow as a person.

The most effective strategy is to seek feedback and constructive criticism from your boss and other people you work with. Schedule a session to understand how they see your performance and what areas you need to work on. This workplace habit will help you speed up your professional development.

Allocate more time for each task

Everybody knows that using checklists, scheduling critical tasks and staying organized is a must. Yet, the secret to avoid missed deadlines is to allow a time buffer to each deadline on your to-do list. Allocate extra time as you commute to avoid being late, and give yourself more time when working on a project. In case if something interferes with your plan, you won't feel confused as you'll have some extra time to handle everything.

Create a morning routine

If you create a morning routine and follow it every day, it will set you up to be productive. Our brain loves an effective routine, as it helps reduce stress and anxiety and sends a signal that we are about to start a busy working day. So, think about the actions that you are going to repeat every day - checking your inbox, reading your favorite business blog, keeping a journal or grabbing a latte at your favorite coffee shop.

If you repeat the same steps every day, your brain will associate them with working activities. So, with this healthy habit, you'll find it easier to stay organized.

Don't admit the problem - offer a solution

Problem-solving is one of the most sought after skills across different industries. After you've worked in a company for some time, you'll start noticing problems and processes which could be improved. One of the most productive work habits is not just admitting that something doesn't work well, but also proposing a reasonable solution.

Pointing out that something is ineffective comes across as complaining. On the flip side, showing the problem and giving a few suggestions on how to fix it makes you look proactive and professional.

Ask questions

Whether you are new on the job or have worked in a company for years, asking right questions is invaluable tool if used right. There's no shame to ask for clarification or help if you don't know something. Moreover, good open-ended questions can propel a discussion that can lead to improving something within the organization. It's one of the healthy work habits - and a very rewarding one. 

There are two rules of thumb when it comes to questions, though. The first one is knowing the difference between curious and annoying. Avoid asking tons of questions from one person - after all, they have their tasks to complete. If you have too many questions about the new job, it's better to schedule a meeting with human resources department. Secondly, don't ask obvious things like how to share a spreadsheet. If you don't know something, do a quick Google search first, and only after that ask a colleague or supervisor. 

Respect the others' time

When you work net to other people, you need to collaborate with them with respect to their time. Everyone has a busy schedule and personal life. So, when you approach someone with a request, make sure that you have something important to discuss. Do not schedule meetings when an issue can be resolved in a one-on-one chat. This also shows good communication skills. Be polite and clarify when it will be convenient for a person to discuss something or work together. 

When it comes to job search, show respect to a hiring manager by aligning your resume with a job description. Connect the dots for them, showing how your qualifications can help with current challenges in the organization. Thus, you will save their time and come across as a person who is pleasant to work with. 

Master clear, efficient communication

Inefficient communication takes a lot of time, costs money to the company and slows down the development of the organization. To become an effective employee and move forward in your career, learn how to communicate effectively. First of all, be brief and concise. If you have an important issue to discuss, focus on it completely and avoid touching other topics or personal problems. 

Secondly, choose the appropriate medium for communication. If you need to discuss a new project with a team, an in-person or Zoom meeting will work. Yet, do not assign meetings or calls if an issue can be resolved in chat. Communicating effectively is one of the positive work habits that will help you succeed in any role or organization. 

Prioritize rest

One of the good work habits you'll need to learn is treating your time off just as you treat tasks at work. In other words, to maintain that healthy work-life balance, schedule such things as sleep, exercise, a dinner with your family, or yoga class. 

If you treat rest and time off as something unimportant, this will inevitably result in chronic stress, anxiety, or burnout. So, be proactive about your professional and mental well-being and prioritize activities that inspire you or help you unwind after work. Thus, you will stay productive in the office. Moreover, having enough rest and hobbies besides work contributes to job satisfaction and gives you energy for attaining professional goals. 

Reward yourself

To foster your professional development, it is essential to set positive milestones after you have achieved something. Rewarding yourself is a positive work habit that contributes to your well-being. Rewards can vary depending on the situation: you can treat yourself to a favorite dessert and a bath after an especially tough day. You can install a habit management app, and once you have mastered a new habit, give yourself a bigger reward. Or, you can buy a new smartphone or dine in a restaurant with your loved ones after finishing the project. 

Such small and big rewards brighten up your life outside work and bring positive emotions. Plus, they give you a sense of achievement and inspire you for bigger goals. 

Never stop learning

Continuing to learn and master new skills is the most critical habit for everyone aiming to reach success. In today's business world, new approaches and practices arise every time. If you stay proactive and learn something new, you have higher odds of succeeding in your role and getting promoted. 

You can learn and develop in a variety of ways: online courses, certification programs, workshops, or corporate training. If you are not sure what skills to develop to progress in your career, consult your supervisor or find a mentor. Determine where you plan to go next in your career, and find out what skills you need to build and what to learn to move forward. 

introducing these practices in your professional routine will increase your professional and personal satisfaction and help you achieve new career heights. 

7 good work habits in resume writing 

When it comes to composing your resume, there are also good habits in writing which can make it more appealing to employers. Here are the best practices that you can follow: 

Add a catchy Summary section 

The first thing that the recruiter sees is the first paragraph at the top of the resume. So, write a few sentences here, summarizing your areas of expertise, accomplishments and strengths. Make sure that they align with what the employer is looking for and immediately catch the eye. This essential practice will make your resume more effective. 

Keep your job descriptions brief 

When listing your past jobs, write no more than 6-7 responsibilities and achievements for each. Remove typical job duties or those irrelevant to your target role. If you add very long job descriptions, a recruiter will lose focus and might not understand what you are good at. 

Add figures 

Whenever possible, support your statements with numbers and percentages. Specify how many people you trained, by how many percent you increased sales, or how many customers were satisfied with your services. Adding figures is one of the personal practices that give proof to your accomplishments and make you look like a result-oriented employee. 

List unpaid experience 

If you are starting your career, you might have difficulties completing the Experience section. Think about your unpaid experience - internships, summer projects, volunteering - and describe them as if you described real jobs. If you were a part of the leadership team, mention this as well. By giving such descriptions, you will come across as a proactive entry-level employee. 

Remove what's old or irrelevant 

Above, we've mentioned that it's important to add new skills, certifications and accomplishments to your resume. Similarly, it is important to remove what's no longer relevant: jobs you had over 15 years ago, outdated skills, or irrelevant positions. By removing outdated facts, you'll make your resume shorter and more focused. 

Remember about keywords

According to the stats, 98% of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS). If your resume doesn't have specific keywords, it won't pass the screening and will get tossed. So, make sure to add keywords from the job description in the same form as they are written there. Use an ATS-friendly file format, such as DOCX or PDF. 

Proofread before sending 

59% of hiring managers will reject a resume that has typos, mistakes, and poor grammar. Double-check the resume text to make sure it meets all standards of written English. Check that every sentence is complete and makes sense. Also, check the formatting so that it is consistent in the document, remove the additional spaces and use a modern font (such as Arial or Helvetica). 

Get your resume updated for a successful career

If you are seeking a new career or a promotion, make sure that your resume represents you best on paper. If you think that your old resume could use an improvement, the experts of ResumePerk can assist you in no time. Let us know your career goals, and we will prepare a tailored resume that puts your best strengths forward.